For mobile device users, being connected to the internet is often an essential when at home and even while on-the-go. This increasing accessibility to internet connectivity means users can forgo SMS and MMS services from traditional carriers in favor of messaging apps that allow for the sending of messages, pictures, and even videos for free. In this article, we provide a comprehensive list of the most popular messaging applications available for iOS today.
Used by millions, WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps available. Like most apps on this list, WhatsApp is available on all major platforms including Android, Windows Phone, and Blackberry which means that no matter what device peers are using, they will be able to download the app and chat across various platforms. This is one of the most distinguishing features of WhatsApp that make it better than competing messaging apps which allows users to connect with others using just a mobile number no matter which platform they are on. With no requests needed, WhatsApp gives users the option of sending of texts, share photos, and videos for free and is acts as a major threat to traditional phone carriers.
Facebook Messenger
With over a billion users worldwide, Facebook has a massive user base who are automatically made to be members of the Facebook Messenger service. As a large population of people are already existing Facebook users, it’s ability to connect those around the world for free make it one of the best free messaging apps available for both iOS and Android. The app is made highly easy to use with the ability to chat and share different files with family and friends in nearly any language. Whether for one-on-one conversation or group chats, Facebook Messenger is a must have for those seeking an alternative to paid messaging services. The app giant has also begun to offer different services that make it even more powerful with features that include voice chat and video calling, bringing a new dimension to messaging apps.
Google Hangouts
For those who use Gmail or Google Plus’s built-in chat service to communicate with their family and friends, Google Hangouts has proven to be an extremely useful tool. The Google Hangouts app is available for Android and iOS as well as on the web through Gmail, making it accessible to almost everyone regardless of device. Users can send text based messages or share pictures with the app, making it an all-in-one tool for a variety of purposes. One of the biggest differentiators of this app is that users can seamlessly chat and share content with others who are using different devices, although other services such as Facebook have similarly adopted this feature. With a wide range of services such as voice calls for individuals and groups, Google’s Hangouts is a must have for Gmail users.
BBM
While Blackberry is not as popular as it use to be, for those who were Blackberry uses before the iPhone or have many friends and colleagues who use BBM, this app provides perfect cross platform functionality. It not only enables users to have conversations with Blackberry users but also allows users to connect with Android users on a highly secure network which Blackberry is recognized for. Features include BBM profiles, delivered and read reports, image sharing, file sharing, privacy features, and much more. With regular updates, Blackberry aims to add a “fresh new look and feel” to attract and retain users. Being more of a professional chatting tool as opposed to a person one such as Facebook, the app offers secure messaging which makes it perfect for confidential and business use.
Snapchat
Taking the world by storm, Snapchat is a messaging tool which introduces new dynamics to chatting between peers in ways that have not been seen in the past. It’s different from Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp in that its messages are temporary, expiring after they’ve been viewed. While more for leisurely messaging than a communication tool, it provides a unique twist to traditional texting and photo sharing services. With features such as stories where users can share moments of their day to friends for 24 hours, the highly utilized filters, and temporary video messages, Snapchat has strongly resonated with the younger audience who find it to be a fun alternative to purely text-based conversations.
Despite being a highly crowded space, mobile messaging apps have proven to be perfect substitutions to paid services offered by phone carriers. Whether used for sending messages, pictures, videos, or other files, our list of messaging apps provides a comprehensive list for a wide range of uses for every situation.
What do you think of our list? Let us know in the comments which messaging apps you use that we missed.
[Source:-Appolicious]
